BUGGY BABIES

  • Course Details
  • Sign Up For BuggyBabies

What

This 10 week course consists of outdoor power walking in idyllic surroundings for mums with babies in pushchairs, incorporating a wealth of effective exercises designed to tone you up from top to toe. We complete a circular route in beautiful countryside just a couple of miles south of Loughborough, with babies in their buggies. Along the way we have various stops for resistance exercises using park benches, trees, fences and resistance bands, thus working both upper and lower body. It’s fun, sociable, and sets you and your baby on the way to a healthy lifestyle.

The classes last approximately 1¼ hours.

When

Courses start in January, April and September and run during term time only for 10 weeks on Wednesday mornings at 9.45am or Wednesday afternoons at 1.30pm: this enables me to progress the exercises over the period (yes, that means work you harder!) and it also ensures that I am aware of any medical restrictions (back trouble, joints, post natal complications etc.) that people might have on the course, as everyone fills in a confidential medical screening form beforehand. Classes are limited to a maximum of 15 mums so that I can make sure that everyone gets sufficient help and feedback.

How Much

The course costs £61.00 and for this you get:

  • An eleventh class for free.
  • 1¼ hour long classes, giving you that all-important extra ¼ of an hour to allow for feeds, nappy disasters and cuddles with your little one, if need be!
  • A complimentary natural cotton shopping bag filled with information about, and special offers from, lots of interesting products and services.
  • A wide variety of routes covered over the 11 weeks, thus giving you the opportunity to discover beautiful new country walks in your area.
  • Bite-sized chunks of twice-weekly “homework” to do between classes.
  • The possibility of catching up on missed classes by coming along to classes on other days of the week (space permitting).

Testimonial

No childcare worries, sociable, free coffee, great class – no brainer! A fantastic outdoors exercise class performed with your baby in the buggy… Jo is a very friendly, knowledgeable instructor, and a mum of three

Netmums member review of BuggyBabies

Pictures

I do hope you like the sound of BuggyBabies. If you do, please have a look at the Frequently Asked Questions below, and then click on “ Sign up for BuggyBabies”. This will take you through a few simple steps for booking onto the next course. If at the end of all that you still have any unanswered queries then please do feel free to contact me via email (info@zest4lifeuk.com), text (07899938032) or telephone (01509 210269).

3 Steps To Joining BuggyBabies

  1. Go into Timetable and Availability and check that there are spaces available.
  2. Then please fill out and send the Online registration form
  3. We will then be in touch shortly with payment details.

That’s it! Once I have received the forms and payment, your place is booked. Dates, times and venue will be confirmed in an information sheet which I will then email to you. I would strongly advise you to print out the information sheet and keep it somewhere accessible as a reminder of all the bits and bobs you need when the course starts.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q. When do the next BuggyBabies courses start?
A. Go to Timetable and Availability
Q. Will my buggy be OK for this course?
A. There are a number of points that you must bear in mind: - you need a stable buggy that is unlikely to topple over - you must be able to strap your baby into the buggy - BuggyBabies takes place on paths that are not asphalted and so bigger wheels mean a less bumpy ride for your baby. Nevertheless, lots of mums manage with a Maclaren-style buggy. - if your baby is still very little it is advisable to have head support, even if this means rolling up a towel and placing it round your baby’s head.
Prams which are like cots on wheels are good but please make sure that you attach a harness to the D-rings under the mattress, so that you can safely strap your baby in. You should also consider the shape and height of the handle. Make sure that you do not have to stoop to reach the handles. Rounded handles are more comfortable and encourage wrist alignment. Handles which are squared-off tend to force the wrist into the wrong position, thus placing pressure on an already vulnerable part of the body.
Q. How soon after pregnancy can I start BuggyBabies?
A. It all depends on what sort of pregnancy and birth you have had but the key rule for everyone is that you must have already had a satisfactory 6 week post natal check up with your GP. - following a pregnancy free of complications and a normal, vaginal delivery you may safely join BuggyBabies after your 6 week check up - if you have had a caesarean section you should wait a minimum of 8 weeks before exercising and I will provide alternative, more gentle exercises during the first few weeks of the course.
Q. Can I wear my normal, everyday clothes to BuggyBabies?
A. You are best off wearing loose clothing, such as a tracksuit or gym wear, which allows freedom of movement when doing resistance exercises. Although this is a low-impact class, it is still worth wearing a bra that provides good support, especially if you are breastfeeding. The routes we take can get quite muddy, so walking boots, old trainers or even wellington boots are ideal footwear.
Q. Can I do BuggyBabies with a double buggy?
A. Yes, all the routes we do are wide enough to allow access for a double buggy. Expect to work hard!
Q. I have an older pre-school child. May I bring him/her along to BuggyBabies?
A. It depends on the age of your older child and how willing s/he is to sit in a buggy for 1¼ hours. For safety reasons and insurance purposes all babies and toddlers must be strapped into buggies whilst we are on the move and exercising. I find that as children reach the age of about 22 months, they no longer want to stay in a buggy.
Q. What happens if my baby cries during BuggyBabies?
A. This is a very easy-going class and we stop and start as necessary so that mums can feed, comfort, cuddle and hug their babies. I usually find that when we are power walking the babies are happy. When we stop to do resistance work I plan short bouts of exercise so that the little ones don’t get too grumpy before we move on again.
Q. Can I walk my dog whilst we do BuggyBabies?
A. No, I think it is best not to bring dogs along just in case they do something unexpected like jump up onto a buggy, run into a road or chase off after other dogs that are being walked in the area!
Q. I suffer from back pain. Is it alright to do BuggyBabies?
A. If you suffer from back pain you should ensure that the handles of your buggy are at the correct height so that you do not have to stoop over. You should also keep your abdominals lightly braced all the time whilst pushing the pram. Finally, if you have noticed that pushing your buggy round town makes matters worse, then I would strongly encourage you not to do this course but to try which focuses specifically on back and abdominal care, as well as on posture.
Q. I am pregnant. May I book onto BuggyBabies before giving birth?
A. Lots of mums book onto my courses during their pregnancy. It is, however, on the understanding that you must have had your 6 week check up before joining the course, even if this means missing a few of the earlier sessions. If this happens, I ease new mums into the course gently, with appropriate alternative exercises.
Q. Your current course is already running. May I join part-way through?
A. It depends on a number of factors, such as whether my course is full, how long ago you gave birth, what sort of birth you had and whether or not you exercised during pregnancy. The best thing is to contact me directly if you would like to try and join a course part-way through: info@zest4lifeuk.com
Q. What happens when the weather is bad?
A. If it is drizzling, BuggyBabies goes ahead. Only if conditions are really horrible (driving rain) or dangerous (icy conditions or high winds) is the class cancelled via text message. But don't worry, an extra class will be added onto the end of the course to make up for the cancelled one.
Q. Is BuggyBabies going to be too hard for me?
A. The course is designed to get progressively harder over the 10 week period, so I will break you in relatively gently. The terrain is hilly, your heart rate will increase, and you will certainly feel as if you have worked out… but that's what you want, isn't it?! This is an invigorating course that will leave you feeling energized every week!
Q. What should I bring to class?
A. Make sure you've got your outdoor training gear and outdoor trainers with you. Remember to dress both yourself and your baby according to the time of year. Bring a bottle of water for yourself and don't forget all that baby "stuff".
Q. Is there an upper age limit for babies?
A. No, there isn't. Every baby is different and some babies are happy to sit in a buggy for over an hour even though they are walkers. I have had 2½ year olds happily take part in BuggyBabies.
Q. I have got painful wrists. Is BuggyBabies suitable?
A. Carpal Tunnel Syndrome is a common complaint related to pregnancy and beyond. You'll have to have a test run before signing up to the course. Spend an hour walking around country lanes and off-road paths and see how your wrists feel. Sometimes the wrist pain is too severe, in which case, you would be best not doing the course. BackPackBabies is a suitable alternative for those with wrist pain.